NHS doctor Amir Khan has shared his top lunch tip that he has most days at work – a salad that is packed with all the essential nutrients and aids weight loss by keeping you fuller for longer
Are you guilty of racing off to snag a quick lunch, only to choose the unhealthiest option over and over?
It’s a common trap, with the most tempting foods often beckoning when your stomach growls. Yet making your own lunch is consistently the wiser pick for health and budget reasons.
A savvy GP has come up with the ultimate lunch that’s so good he eats it every day. It’s a breeze to make, won’t break the bank, and it’s chock-full of necessary nutrients.
Plus, it’s a champ at staving off hunger, cutting down on snack cravings which can help boost weight loss. NHS top doc Amir Khan, famed for his spots on ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, recently took his expert advice to TikTok, enlightening his hefty following of 52.9k users.
He breaks down his daily habit of packing the same workday lunch: “It stops me from snacking and reduces the risk of me heading to reception to get chocolates that have been brought in my a patient.”
The night before, Dr Khan throws together a salad that’s brimming with health benefits and really tasty.
He explained: “It’s got red onions in there, which are great for gut health and red onions in particular have a plant compound called anthocyanin in them, which have been shown to be heart healthy. I’ve also got some chopped cucumber in there, which is a very good source of vitamin K, needed for healthy bones. There’s fibre in the skin of the cucumber which is good for my gut health and cucumbers also contain a plant compound called cucurbitacin, which might have some anti-cancer properties.”
He further added that his salad includes chopped tomatoes, which he says are “high in antioxidants; lycopene and beta-carotene”, citing benefits such as protecting your cells from free radical damage and boosting the immune system thanks to their high vitamin C content. To up the protein content, he tosses chickpeas into the mix, which not only bring fibres into the equation but also help in “keeping full longer and leading to less snacking”.
As a dressing, he takes a “glug of olive oil”, which is high in monounsaturated fats, and adds a dash of lime juice for a “great source of vitamin C”. He also eats some nuts, like walnuts, which are full of “great plant omega-3 fatty acids” vital for brain and heart health, pistachios loaded with “fibre and antioxidants”, and ends with some blueberries, which are also rich in antioxidants.
As always, balance and variety is key when it comes to diet. The NHS recommends eating at least five portions (80g) of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.